Spin the Bottle
by ss9
Summary: A little festive fun at Taplows. By Charlie
1. Chapter 1

For what felt like the thousandth time that night, Jarvis turned over in bed and tried to make himself more comfortable. He tossed and turned, rearranged the bedclothes and generally tried to make things more conducive towards sleep. Perhaps it was all that cheese he had eaten tonight after dinner that was plaguing him he told himself, or perhaps that new continental starter that Felix had decided to try out that night which was what was disturbing him so. However after a good hour or so more of futilely trying to get some rest, the butler swung his legs over the side of his bed and lit the candles on the bedside table. He knew deep down what it was that was interrupting his sleep, why it was making it so troublesome for him to get any rest that night, yet each time the thought arose he pushed it down and tried to dismiss it. Oh good god what was he doing!

Shaking his head he moved over to the window and looked out over the shadowed grounds, his mind taking him back to earlier that evening. Stop being so ridiculous, he told himself! Why was he still thinking about it? It wasn't as though he had never kissed a woman before or never done anything else with a woman in fact. So why the hell couldn't he sleep? It was clearly just another of the valets' smutty ideas for what, in their opinion, constituted an evening's entertainment. Why the hell did it have to be her though! Any one else then it wouldn't have mattered he told himself. Any one else then you would have outright refused, a little voice in the back of his mind piped up with, which he wilfully tried to ignore.

Realising that sleep would probably be a long time in coming that night, Jarvis walked over to his bedside table and picked up the novel that lay there before moving over to his fireside chair and settling down in it. Maybe a bit of light reading would help him sleep; take his mind off things a bit…

The atmosphere at the senior servants' Christmas dinner had been exceptionally jovial that night. The food was exemplary, the wine flowed freely, conversation never ceased, and everyone without exception was in a good mood. As the meal came to an end the talk turned to that evening's entertainment as was customary for this time of year.

"No Felix! We are not letting you choose the games this year, not after last time when you had us playing that ridiculous Prussian number game or whatever it was." The butler exclaimed, reaching for the port and pouring the remainder into his glass.

"Oh Mr Jarvis, come now, you seemed to quite enjoy it for a bit….until you started to lose that is!" The chef added slyly.

"Hmph, absurd game it was, anyway are there any other suggestions?" Jarvis replied, appealing to the rest of the table. "Except charades!" He cut in quickly as he saw Mrs Diggins go to open her mouth.

"Well there is a game we could play..." One of the valets began. "We'd need that empty bottle…and some paper for..." However he was suddenly cut off mid-sentence by the shrill ring of a bell calling for the butler. Sighing and wiping his mouth with his napkin, Jarvis got to his feet.

"I'm sorry, do excuse me for a few minutes and just start without me." He said, nodding at the valets as he turned to leave.

"So, what is this exciting new game then?" Felix inquired as the door closed behind the butler.

"Well it's one we saw played when the Earl was up in London a few weeks ago. It's called Spin the Bottle…."

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Twenty minutes later the game was in full swing and so far had produced some interesting results. The game had been modified slightly at the request of some of the ladies and now consisted of a pile of cards in the middle of the table, each with instructions written on them, and the empty port bottle next to it. Despite her initial misgivings about the morality of such a game, Mrs Diggins had allowed herself to be persuaded that it was all in the name of festive spirit and had joined in with gusto. So far she had been made to dance an Irish jig with one of the valets, Mr Jenkins the head valet had had to perform a duet with Mrs Ryan, and Felix had got away with merely kissing Cook on the cheek. It was at this point that the butler returned to the festivities, just as the bottle had been spun to land once again upon the housekeeper.

"Your lucky night tonight it would seem Mrs Ryan!" The chef joked, to which she just gave a slight smile whilst wondering slightly apprehensively just what she would be made to do next.

"What game did you decide on in the end?" Jarvis asked as he sat back down and reached out for his glass.

"I'm sure you'll pick it up as we go along Mr Jarvis!" Felix replied jovially as he spun the bottle again. "In fact you can join in right away!" He added with a sly grin as the bottle came to rest pointing straight at the butler.

"Oh really, and what must I do as part of this game?" Jarvis inquired, sitting back in his chair.

"Well that depends on what it says on the card!" Felix retorted, indicating the pieces of paper next to the bottle.

Felling slightly put upon the spot, Jarvis slowly put down his glass and took the top card from the pile and turned it over to read. "Kiss on the lips." He read out loud, doing his best not to grimace as the rest of the staff tried to smother their laughter, all except the housekeeper who had suddenly turned a lot paler. "Tell me Felix, who exactly am I supposed to bestow a kiss upon? Your fair self perhaps?" Jarvis added dryly.

"No no Mr Jarvis, whoever the bottle landed on previously…………..Mrs Ryan." He said with a smile, indicating the now blushing housekeeper who was studiously avoiding eye contact with the butler.

For a moment Jarvis just sat there, silently cursing the fact that he had chosen that particular moment to re-enter the room, if only the Earl had been five minutes longer then he would not have to embarrass himself in this way in front of his staff. He couldn't very well refuse; it would seem to be making too big a deal of it and would probably cause more problems between them just as things were beginning to resolve themselves after last winter. Slowly Jarvis pushed back his chair and got to his feet.

"Very well then, it is Christmas after all." He said impassively as he made his way round to the other side of the table. "Merry Christmas Mrs Ryan." He muttered to the housekeeper before leaning down and placing the briefest of kisses on her lips.

"Oh come on Walter, that was NOT a kiss, and as you said so yourself, it is Christmas!" A rather merry Felix interposed wickedly, pouring himself another brandy and grinning at the butler who was now glaring at him.

Reminding himself to have strong words with the chef tomorrow, Jarvis leant down once more, this time brushing some of the loose strands of hair off her face and cupping the side of her face gently before kissing her again, surprised this time to feel her kiss him back and suddenly wishing that there wasn't a whole room full of people watching them. Pulling away after a few moments he had to quell the sudden very real urge to continue the kiss and he caught her gaze briefly before both of them looked away. Clearing his throat self-consciously, Jarvis made his way back to his seat, pouring himself a large drink from the decanter on the sideboard on the way, while the housekeeper continued to study her napkin, a deep blush still suffusing her cheeks.

Quarter of an hour or so later and the two most senior members of staff had still not managed to make eye contact, some of the staff began to take their leave and retire for the night, including the housekeeper.

"Good night Mrs Ryan……and Merry Christmas!" Felix called out cheerfully as she said her goodnights and made her way to the door.

"Good night Mrs Ryan." Jarvis muttered, nodding at a space two feet to the left of her, much to the chef's amusement.

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Jarvis put down his book with a sigh, he'd read two chapters but honestly hadn't a clue what had happened in them. Blowing out the candles he determined not to give Felix the satisfaction of knowing that he had been kept up thinking about the evening's entertainment and to also make sure he was not coerced into doing something similar come New Year's Eve...


	2. Chapter 2

New Year's Eve 1851:

Sometimes the Butler wondered why he didn't just kill Felix Kraus and get it over with? The evening had started surprisingly well as for the first evening meal since boxing day he had been able to look Flora Ryan in the eye without coughing and she had barely blushed, which was definitely progress! However he should have known such tranquillity could not last, not when there was a conniving Prussian around.

- - - -

"Well we have a good hour or so before we need to join the lower servants." Felix had piped up when the last of the dinner plates had been cleared away. "We should do something fun….How about…"

"No Felix before you even say it we are not playing the bottle spinning thing again." The butler had piped up before the Chef could even get the words out of his mouth.

"My dear Mr Jarvis you are so suspicious and me thinks you do protest too much come on admit it you enjoyed it." Felix snorted into his brandy.

"I said no Mr Kraus now I am sure there are plenty of other parlour games that can amuse us…And no Charades." Jarvis managed to get in before Mrs Diggins could once again suggest her favourite, the very idea brought back terrible memories of the time she had tried to mime a nursery rhyme and sent him to a corner to be little Jack Horner eating his pudding and pie, after all the nerve of the woman just because he was the shortest man in the room didn't mean he could be considered a boy!

"How about statues?"

"No no too tiring on the legs." Jarvis snapped at the valet, more concerned that the amount of port he had consumed would be a disadvantage.

"I do have an idea." Felix piped up an enigmatic smile on his face that should have sent alarm bells ringing in the butler's mind but instead Jarvis allowed him to continue.

"How about Sardines…You know hide and seek." Felix added when no one appeared the wiser.

"Well I suppose it might be fun." The butler replied.

"Except we agree to a restricted area and more than one person is IT after all we want to find people as quickly as possible." Felix added.

"Sounds like a sensible suggestion Mr Kraus." The butler replied. "We will restrict the game to the servants quarters no one must venture into the main house and I suggest Mrs Diggins and Mr Jenkins for the first round…"

"Oh and of anyone is stuck for suggestions I'll tell you each where to hide." The chef piped up smiling dangerously standing up from his seat to wander round the table and whisper suggestions in people's ears so they one by one disappeared from the room to hide. Finally he got round to the Butler. "I have somewhere special in mind for you Walter, but you'll have to hurry…" He added glancing over to Mrs Diggins and Mr Jenkins who were already at 50 in their count. "Third floor corridor fourth door on the right." Felix added as they stepped outside and he turned towards his kitchen.

"But that's no bigger than a broom closet!" Jarvis spat his eyes widening however when Mrs Diggins reached 70 in her count he decided speed was more of an issue and so sped away his feet slapping noisily on the flagstones and then the staircase as he headed to his hiding place. Breathing heavily as he heard the sound of 'Coming ready or not' echo through the house the butler found the door Felix was talking about, it was slightly ajar and he wrenched it open flinging himself inside before pulling door shut behind him with a sound click.

It was less than a second later that he realised the small broom cupboard was not as empty as he had first supposed. He had not simply knocked over a few brooms or spare sheets although they had certainly landed on somebody who was now mumbling angrily from under the pile. Squatting down over the crumpled figure the butler groped around in the darkness intending to pull out the unfortunate wretch secretly thanking the stars that Mrs Diggins was on the opposing team that was of course until his hands came into contact with some rather agreeable curves.

"Do you bloody mind!" Their owner snapped, slapping his hands away as she struggled to her feet.

"Mrs Ryan?" The butler asked aghast as the housekeeper stumbled against him and he could feel her hot breath on his face and press of her full skirts against his legs.

"Mr Jarvis?" She answered and he could have sworn her breathing became even more erratic.

"I should find somewhere else to hide." The butler insisted his hand moving to the door to grope for the door handle but finding it disturbingly absent.

"We cannot open it from this side…Why else would I have kept the door ajar?" The housekeeper enlightened and from her tone of voice the butler could just picture her leaning back a mocking expression on her face to match her voice and her arms crossed over her chest. Shaking his head the Butler tired to drag his thoughts back from the last area, just because he now had a much clearer picture of such things down to size and density does not mean he had to focus on them.

"Well whoever heard of such a thing, a door without a matching knob…Why it's an accident waiting to happen!" Jarvis huffed back leaning against the wood of the door to try and maintain some semblance of decent distance between them something that was undermined by the fact that it was a very small broom cupboard.

"So what do we do now?"

Scratching his head thoughtfully the butler paused before replying. "Wait till Felix comes and gets us I suppose, after all the game cannot take to long they'll be bound to find us soon. Just wait till I find him, sending me to a place I could get locked in…."

"He sent you here too?" The housekeeper gasped.

"You mean he told you….Oh how could he have made such a mistake forgetting he sent someone here already?"

"You think he forgot?"

"What you think he'd send us both here deliberately, for what purpose?"

The housekeeper chose not answer that, to her the answer was obvious but it took a moment for the butler to catch up with her but when he did the strangled choking nose he made provoked a snort of amusement from the housekeeper.

"What is so amusing Mrs Ryan?"

"Amusing Mr Jarvis I do not know what you mean, after all what could possibly be amusing about a certain chef conspiring to lock the housekeeper and butler in tiny broom cupboard with the hope that they will…"

"Yes thank you, you have made your point Mrs Ryan." The Butler cut in for once thankful for the cupboard's darkness so he could avoid her eye and hide the growing heat he felt spreading from his cheeks down his neck until he gave in and pulled at his collar to loosen it. "There must be something we can do in the meantime…Perhaps we can find something to pick the lock?"

"In a broom cupboard?" The housekeeper scoffed earning her a scowl from the butler, not that she could make it out but somehow it made Jarvis feel better just doing it regardless.

"If you are not going to be helpful than stand aside." Jarvis snapped stepping forward until they were practically nose to nose.

"And just where do you expect me to move to?" Flora retorted trying to edge herself past the butler to the door and gaining a broom handle in her back for her troubles. "You're stepping on my dress."

"Is it my fault it takes up most of the cupboard?"

"Well what would you suggest I do I can hardly take it off!"

"I am sure Mr Kraus would consider it a triumph if you did!" Jarvis retorted without thinking, trying to rid the now prominent image of Flora Ryan sans apparel clad only in her corset and petticoats. "It will not be necessary Mrs Ryan if you just lean that way I can feel the shelves and see if there is anything we can use."

Doing as he asked the housekeeper lent sideways her hands gripping the wall and at the last minute the Butler's shoulder to stop herself from overbalancing as he leant across her and began to grope the shelves trying desperately to keep his mind on escape and not the rhythm of her breathing as on every inhale he felt her chest brush teasingly against his right shoulder. Inwardly cursing Felix for putting him in such a compromising situation he grabbed widely at anything he could reach leaning further to reach the back of the shelves and feeling the housekeeper wobble worryingly.

"Just a few moments more Mrs Ryan." He muttered a smile appearing on his face as his fingers caught the edge of a thin metal pin like object, leaning even further forward he grasped it and pulled with all his weight.

However what he wasn't expecting was the object to come away in his hand with such force he staggered backward taking the unbalanced housekeeper with him and then to their horror having the entire contents of the collapsed shelf fall on top of them.

"Do you have anymore bright ideas?" Flora Ryan muttered from somewhere around his ear her movements restricted by the pile of sheets that had descended on top of her and the tangle of the butler's feet in her skirt. "Because next time why don't you stop before carrying them out."

"Hmmm." The Butler mumbled before pulling the sheet off his face. "Oh just stop it at least I was doing something."

"Yes getting us into an even more uncomfortable position than before not that I would have thought that was possible!"

"You're uncomfortable? I'm the poor sod who has you crushing him."

"You brought it on yourself!"

"Fine I can accept that but will you get off me." Jarvis snapped trying desperately to ignore the press of her breasts against his rib cage or the feel of her thighs pressed against his.

"I am trying." Flora retorted wiggling furiously to try and free them from the tangle before collapsing against his chest in exhaustion, then after a few moments to catch her breath trying again.

"Mrs Ryan would you please stop that." The butler hissed after a few moments his voice low and dangerously tense as if he were talking to her from far away.

"Stop what?"

"That…That wiggling thing you are doing…It is most disturbing." He managed to add before stifling a small groan.

"You told me to try and get up."

"Yes but now I want you to stop alright we will have to find some other way." The butler added through a clenched jaw his eyes tightly shut as he tried to retain some sort of control over his wayward body, the memory of their Christmas kiss now once more forefront in his mind.

"Mr Jarvis are you alright? You don't sound yourself and your breathing is somewhat erratic?"

"I am fine Mrs Ryan." The Butler replied through his teeth.

"You are not." The housekeeper replied stubbornly reaching up to check his temperature and brushing the hair back from his forehead gently causing the butler to moan once more but this time in no pretence of pain, his hands lifting of their own accord to encircle her waist before travelling both up and down her back .

"Mr Jarvis." The housekeeper began somewhat breathlessly herself as his hand reached the nape of her neck and began to stoke behind her ears and through her curls.

"Mrs Ryan." The butler answered his voice now deep and husky as he cupped her face gently but firmly and tilted it up to meet his own anything further she was going to say cut off as his lips covered hers for the third time this kiss more intense than their last. Now without the gawping audience Jarvis deepened the kiss tugging on her lower lip in order to beg entrance which she surprisingly granted moaning into his mouth as his tongue began to caress hers before they duelled mercilessly. Finally having to pull away for breath the butler smirked at Flora's rapid panting her chest heaving against his especially when he dropped the hand that was still around her waist to grasp another part of her anatomy caressing it gently through the layers of silk and cotton before drawing her mouth back to his.

When he had plundered her mouth her mouth in its entirety and left the women in his arms reeling his attention turned to her slender neck which he explored laboriously, nipping at her earlobes, nuzzling into the soft skin before tracing the hollow of her collarbone with the tip of his tongue before twisting them over only deepening their entanglement in the sheets which bound them closer together. Now in the more dominant position he crushed the housekeeper under him his lips running freely over her face and neck and down to the tops of her breasts.

Whimpering beneath him Flora Ryan could do nothing but wrap her arms round his shoulders and then into his hair, arching against him when his mouth found the sensitive skin of her chest and he nuzzled between the tops of her breasts blowing hot air down them like a silky caress.

"Walter." Flora gasped then whimpered when the strong warm contact suddenly pulled away from her heaving chest and hovered a few inches from her face.

"Tell me what you want? Do you want me to stop?" Jarvis muttered leaning down and kissing her softly on the mouth. "Or shall I…shall we keep going?"

"No don't stop…" Flora insisted grasping his head and bringing his lips down to meet hers in an almost desperate kiss relishing in the press of his hands as they reached up to caress her breasts firmly through her dress.

However the Butler should have realised things were far to perfect to last, and just as he was slowly working the buttons of the housekeeper's dress loose he heard a booming voice through the door. "They must be around here somewhere Mr Jenkins!"

Immediately panicking the butler kicked furiously at the restricting sheets rising onto his knees before he tried to extricate his feet, cursing under his breath at his own stupidity for forgetting the circumstances of their imprisonment.

"It could have been worse a few minutes later and well…" The housekeeper muttered as if reading his thoughts as she tried to re button her dress and smooth down her hair but realising that it was undoubtedly a hopeless task people where bound to draw conclusions regardless but at least she could make an effort to look somewhat less debauched.

Once he had managed to stand the butler leant down and pulled Flora up as well his breathing hiking as she slid easily into his arms just as the door was flung open by a very red faced Mrs Diggins.

"Mr Err Jarvis…Mrs Ryan." The lady's maid gasped at finding not one but both of the missing staff and in a most compromising position.

"The door stuck." The butler added by way of explanation stepping out into the corridor and staring down the other staff as if daring them to say or think anything else, although the Chef's knowing smile was undermining his efforts. "Felix a word if you don't mind?" The butler added without a backwards glance at either the lady's maid or the housekeeper as he stormed off to his office the chef following on his heel.

"That was a cruel trick to play…Mrs Ryan and I are not amused with your joke, it was highly inconsiderate of you what will people think?"

"Oh I am sure they will not dare to think anything other than what happened happened!" The chef retorted mischievously glancing at the clock as they drew nearer to midnight and the toast.

"Felix I am a gentleman I would never take advantage of such a situation, Mrs Ryan and myself are only colleagues nothing more and it will continue to stay that way so enough of your cupidic intentions!"

Nodding as if bowed down with guilt the Chef indicated towards the door and the butler moved to follow him out to the courtyard. "If you say so my friend but then tell me how did our housekeeper's come to misbutton her dress?"

Stopping dead the Butler shot a death glare at his friend worthy of Mr Adams himself before storming off to perform the midnight toast his eyes flickering over the assembled staff to land on a still somewhat red faced Flora Ryan who had hastily grabbed her coat and gloves and joined the party. On the stroke of midnight he announced the new year, 1852, before stepping down off of the podium intent on finding a certain lady and imparting the seasons greetings to her. Watching her surrounded by her maids who were all wishing her a merry new year Jarvis waited to catch her eye a small smile pulling at his lips as she blushed immediately. Walking over he leant forward and politely kissed her cheek feeling her tremble slightly against him before whispering in her ear. "Your room later."

Watching as she nodded subtly he turned and ignoring Felix's knowing look headed off to wish the rest of the staff as happy a new year as he was looking forward to.

- - - -

It was therefore an hour later as he tightened the sash of his robe around him and headed out for his new year assignation that he decided perhaps killing the chef was a little on the harsh side perhaps he should instead try and give him a taste of his own medicine…After all with Mrs Diggins involved they wouldn't need to use such a small broom cupboard!


	3. Chapter 3

February 1852

"I think that covers everything for now then." Jarvis concluded, looking over his notes as the daily senior servants meeting came to a finish. "The hunting party will be arriving after lunch and the arrangements are as usual. I'm sure everything will run smoothly." He said, looking up at his staff as they began to make their way towards the door and go about their various duties. "Ah Mrs Ryan, could you wait behind one moment, there was something else I needed to discuss with you." He added crisply, ignoring the look that Felix shot him as the housekeeper resumed her seat at the table. Honestly Felix had not given him a moment's respite since New Year and virtually every time Jarvis tried to engineer some time alone with Flora there was the chef with some innuendo-laden comment or look. Not that he wasn't entirely correct in his insinuations, but that was beside the point Jarvis thought as he closed his office door, what went on between the housekeeper and himself was their business and certainly not that of the far too nosy chef.

Walking up to the housekeeper who had stood up again and was clearing the tea cups and saucers off the table, he slid his arms round her waist from behind, pulling her back against him as he gently kissed the nape of her neck.

"I thought you said you wanted to talk about something Walter!" Flora said teasingly, linking her fingers through his and sighing softly as his mouth moved down her neck.

"Hmmm, you know I've quite forgotten what I wanted to say." He murmured in between kisses. "I'm sure it wasn't that important though!" He added as he turned her round to face him, pulling her properly into his arms. "Sorry I didn't come and see you last night, I didn't finish with the Earl until almost 1am and I thought you'd be asleep by then."

"I thought you'd be late, he was being rather difficult yesterday and don't worry, I'm sure you can think of a way to make it up to me!" Flora replied, smiling as he leant down to kiss her on the lips, murmuring "Oh of course, it would be a pleasure Mrs Ryan!" as he did.

Suddenly however they heard footsteps approaching the door and it opened just as the pair hastily sprang apart.

"Ahh Mrs Ryan, you're still here, excellent, I just wanted to confirm that it was still possible for me to have a couple of extra maids in the kitchen this evening." Felix asked sincerely, trying as hard as possible to hide the amusement from his face and voice as the now blushing couple tried to put as much distance between them to convince him that they were conducting a purely business meeting. It had been so amusing baiting Walter on the subject for the past few weeks since New Year, it was obvious, to Felix at least, that they were together but both were still vehemently denying it, despite having almost been caught in compromising situations several times by himself and various other members of staff.

"Yes of course Mr Kraus, that will be fine, they can come down after they have finished their afternoon duties." Flora said quickly, sitting back down again and shuffling her bits of paper.

"Excellent, well I'll leave you two to it………..the meeting that is!" Felix replied with a smirk as he headed out the door.

"That man is far too bloody smug." Jarvis said, glaring at the door where Felix had just left. "What a ridiculous excuse, he asked you that question over breakfast, why would he need to suddenly check you hadn't changed your mind in the past couple of hours? He must think we are stupid or something."

"I think he feels he has a right to know, that he has played matchmaker and so we should let him in on the secret as it were." Flora placated softly.

"Hmph, it's none of his bloody business! And as for his little matchmaking plans, personally I think our dear chef deserves a little of his own medicine." Jarvis snorted.

"Anything particular in mind Walter?" Flora asked, slightly intrigued.

"Well as a matter of fact, I did overhear one of your maids earlier saying that Mrs Diggins had complained about Lady Mary's food last night, that it wasn't mild enough apparently, and that did give me an idea…."

"Yes…" The housekeeper prompted.

"I think Mrs Diggins could be persuaded to spend a little quality alone-time with Mr Kraus, benefiting from his extensive culinary knowledge!" Jarvis said with a smirk.  
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That evening as the staff began to gather for dinner, Flora made her way over to where Mrs Diggins was standing.

"Mrs Diggins, I was hoping to have a quick word. I heard from one of my girl's that Lady Mary was a little off-colour this afternoon, nothing too serious I hope?"

"It is all sorted now Mrs Ryan but thank you for your concern. There was a slight problem with her ladyship's food last night and then again at luncheon, but I have had words with Cook and hopefully the problem will not reoccur." Mrs Diggins replied rather pompously.

"I'm glad to hear it Mrs Diggins, however I'm sure Cook would not object if you or someone else were more involved with Lady Mary's food preparation. After all it would only serve to prevent little mishaps such as these." The housekeeper replied smoothly.

"Yes that did occur to me as well, her ladyship has such particular food preferences and I must admit I do know them rather well by now. However I doubt if my cooking skills are quite good enough for some of Lady Mary's favourite dishes, she was rather impolite about my soufflé last week."

"I do believe you are in luck then Mrs Diggins." Jarvis suddenly interjected, having been discreetly listening in on the conversation. " Our own Mr Kraus is a veritable expert on soufflés and I have no doubt would be delighted to pass on his knowledge and expertise on that, and indeed many other culinary related subjects."

"Yes indeed, that's an excellent idea Mr Jarvis." Flora added earnestly, as the lady's maid still seemed a little unsure. "I'm sure that is the best way to ensure her ladyship encounters no further problems with her meals."

"I'll tell Mr Kraus after dinner Mrs Diggins, I suggest you meet him in the kitchen at 9.30 this evening." Jarvis added, knowing that the chef was going to be there at that time in order to check some of the pastries he had put in the oven a few minutes ago and sharing a conspiratorial smile with the housekeeper.

"Thank you Mr Jarvis, I appreciate it and I'm sure Lady Mary will too." Mrs Diggins replied sincerely.

"Any time Mrs Diggins." The butler said solemnly, winking at Flora as the lady's maid turned away.

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At 9.30 that evening the chef made his way down to his kitchen wondering if he was going to surprise any amorous couples in here like one evening last week when he had caught a very red-faced and dishevelled butler and housekeeper emerging from the pantry and who had mumbled some excuse about needing to check stocks of flour or some such nonsense. Shaking his head in amusement, Felix entered the kitchen and was somewhat surprised to see Mrs Diggins standing by a counter, clearly waiting for someone. What on earth was she doing here? She couldn't be here for a romantic rendezvous, or at least Felix fervently hoped she wasn't as that was a mental image he could do without.

"Can I help you Mrs Diggins?" He inquired politely.

"Actually yes Mr Kraus, you can. Did Mr Jarvis mention that I..." However she was suddenly interrupted by the butler entering the kitchen.

"Ahh Mr Kraus, my apologies for not mentioning this earlier however I'm sure you will be able to accommodate. Mrs Diggins here would like to be more directly involved with the preparation of her ladyship's meals but feels that her skills in the kitchen could benefit from some kindly instruction. Given that you have learnt from some of the best chefs in Europe, as you have told us on many occasions, I thought it would be only a kind gesture to impart some of that wisdom on those of us who have not been so lucky." Jarvis said briskly, watching as the chef realised what he was up to.

"Why thank you Mr Jarvis, however I do have a very busy schedule and..."

"Indeed you do which is why it is so generous of you to do this." Jarvis interjected smoothly. "I'm sure Lady Mary will appreciate it, you could even start now as you mentioned earlier that you were relatively free tonight." He added with a slight smile.

"Very well Mr Jarvis." Felix muttered through clenched teeth as he couldn't see any way to back out gracefully at the moment, foreseeing all his evenings being taken up by spending far too much time alone with Mrs Diggins.

"Excellent, I'm sure you will both have a very informative time!" Jarvis replied, smirking at the chef who was now glaring at him behind Mrs Diggins's back, and the butler couldn't resist a parting shot at the fuming chef. "I'll leave you two to it then…………….the cooking that is!"


End file.
